Jamaica

[mcohen1021]

We will be in Ocho Rios in May for a wedding...

So my first question is does anybody have any experience with beaches resort scuba diving? And what is your opinion of it?

Second question is we that we were thinking about on the second part of the trip to move to Negril and stay at sandals... How does the diving in negril compare to the diving in Ocho Rios?

We have to make a decision by this Thursday on whether we're going to move to Negril or stay in Ocho Rios... What is yalls opinion of the two areas and why do you like one over the other?

Thanks

Mcohen

 

[agilis]

Negril offers much better diving than Ocho, but the quality diving in either place has been degraded by resort development, road construction and resultant silt runoff, trucking in sand to replenish beaches eroded by wave action because the outer reefs have been partially destroyed by a multiplicity of causes, and all the sins against the reefs that have resulted from human commercial activity. I've spent a great deal of time in Jamaica, lived there from time to time, and witnessed the destruction of what had once been magnificent.

Still, if you are not expecting anything spectacular, the diving can be very pleasant. There is still a lot to see, and the island is beautiful.

 

[KeithG]

We passed on the opportunity to dive in jamaica. We were there for a corporate event last summer and after doing some research we left our gear at home and only took mask and snorkel.

We snorkeled in the "marine park" in montego bay and were underwhelmed.

The dive op dresslers at the iberostar did 30 minute guided group dives. Way too short to be bothered to gear up.

 

[agilis]

Negril's reefs are far nicer than Mobay's marine park, a great deal nicer. If you dive, going to Negril will be worth the time. Also, you might want to see about diving Orange bay, only a few miles north of Negril. Some Negril dive operators go there.

As a general rule, avoid the immediate vicinity of anyplace cruise ships visit.

 

[mcohen1021]

Thank you for the replies... Its been a long time since I dove in Jamaica... I think 1997...

Diving for this trip is really going to be kind of the a side note because it's not a dedicated dive trip... So I already know not to expect a lot but the dive operator will be set since we'll be at a super inclusive resort which is beaches... And then we were planning on probably moving to Negril since I've never been there and staying at sandals

So has anybody dived with beaches in Ocho Rios or with sandals in Negril?

My guess is that they are both cattle car operations but just want to hear some personal first hand experience if anybody has some

Thanks again

 

[dvankirk]

I don't know about Negril or Ocho, but I dove with Sandals Whitehouse last year and the best that I can say is that it was under water. The reefs have been destroyed from decades of blasting, the boats are full of tourist divers (not knocking them - glad they are diving), and if conditions aren't perfect they cancel. If you are staying at Sandals, though, it is included and might be a welcome break from the pool.

 

[mcohen1021]

You know that might be jamaica in general maybe I'm wrong I don't know... But that was my experience in 97 when I dove with breezes in Runaway Bay.. They yelled at me for doing the back roll of the side of the boat... Started yelling at me that as a divemaster I should lead as the example

um I think I did lol

 

[agilis]

Regarding the Whitehouse/ Bluefields area on the south coast, there are good reasons why it was the last area to be developed for tourism. The water has been murky there and the reefs reduced to rubble for many decades. I remember the area in the 70s when it was a center for local fishermen. I didn't even bother to snorkel. The Whitehouse Sandals was built for tourists content with sun, sand, and rum. There are some excellent roadside seafood vendors as you head towards Black River, selling spectacularly good fish tea, bammy bread, and fried whole triggerfish.

Negril may only be a shadow of what it was, but it's still the best diving experience in Jamaica. Learn to speak a little Jamaican, and don't take those loud Jamaican DMs too seriously. It's mostly a front, but it does terrify the tourists.
Make sure the other side of a smaller boat is well counterbalanced and the DM aware of what you are going to do before a roll off.

 

[mcohen1021]

To be honest, the only reason for the Jamaica trip is for the wedding. Otherwise we’d be headed to Roatan, Bonaire, or back to Belize or my beloved Cozumel. I started to think that if I didn’t like the operator at the resort, I could book (and pay) to scuba with another operator outside the resort... Like I said earlier, I do not remember the scuba in 97, but it sounds to me the operator doesn;t have much to do with it, it’s just that the reefs are not in great shape, its abused, over dived, etc... So I’ll take what I can get, go with the resort, and be happy with it... Maybe piss them off and do a backroll off the side of the boat. LOL



I’ll plan on making my next trip in August just spectacular somehow... Just have to decide on a location – theres too many to choose from... In the last 3 years, we’ve scuba’d punta cana, cozumel 2x, belize, grand cayman, maui and turks and caicos... While Belize and Cozumel have been my faves, and I’d be totally happy going back to either, something new also would be so nice...



The ABCs, Roatan, St. Croix and Freeport Bahamas has all crossed my mind, but open to suggestions as well!


Where’s my morning coffee :>


MC

Edit: That fried trigger fish sounds YUM

---------- Post added January 8th, 2014 at 09:22 AM ----------

Learn to speak a little Jamaican

"yah mon, we jammin..." I got jamaican skills! LOL

 

[agilis]

To be honest, the only reason for the Jamaica trip is for the wedding. Otherwise we’d be headed to Roatan, Bonaire, or back to Belize or my beloved Cozumel. I started to think that if I didn’t like the operator at the resort, I could book (and pay) to scuba with another operator outside the resort... Like I said earlier, I do not remember the scuba in 97, but it sounds to me the operator doesn;t have much to do with it, it’s just that the reefs are not in great shape, its abused, over dived, etc... So I’ll take what I can get, go with the resort, and be happy with it... Maybe piss them off and do a backroll off the side of the boat. LOL

I’ll plan on making my next trip in August just spectacular somehow... Just have to decide on a location – theres too many to choose from... In the last 3 years, we’ve scuba’d punta cana, cozumel 2x, belize, grand cayman, maui and turks and caicos... While Belize and Cozumel have been my faves, and I’d be totally happy going back to either, something new also would be so nice...



The ABCs, Roatan, St. Croix and Freeport Bahamas has all crossed my mind, but open to suggestions as well!


Where’s my morning coffee :>


MC

Edit: That fried trigger fish sounds YUM

---------- Post added January 8th, 2014 at 09:22 AM ----------



"yah mon, we jammin..." I got jamaican skills! LOL

Cho! A wha yu tink yu duh galang lakka rude bwoy drop offa de boat? Jesum piece! Yu does bex me so!